Core Value: Transformational Community
We live in a culture of immense individualism and superficiality. And even though we’re more connected and intertwined than any other generation, it feels like we are more isolated and alone than ever. Connectivity is not the same thing as community.
Mother Teresa once said, “Loneliness is the leprosy of the modern world.”
So as a church, we choose to engage in deep and meaningful relationships that reflect the heart of God. We are more than acquaintances – we are a family. And as a family, we create safe spaces for people to walk through life with others. It’s in this context of living and sharing life together that we see community deepen and real life change happen!
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
Transformational community is not just “playing family.” We’re truly sharing life together in the nitty-gritty, sometimes messy, but always there for you kind of way. There’s a commitment to each other marked by sacrificial love. And this type of relationship makes a statement to the people around us who are watching.
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12-13)
Transformational community is about intentional relationships centered around the ways of Jesus. In this type of community, two things happen that help us grow*:
• Exposure — it exposes our blind spots
• Encouragement — it encourages us toward healing and wholeness.
Both are crucial to our spiritual maturity and fostering true, deep friendships.
Our prayer is that everyone who engages with The Dwelling Church will experience the beauty of transformational community and be bold enough to root in with others. It might feel scary dropping our masks and letting people in, but it is so worth the risk!
*Blog content informed by John Mark Comer and Practicing the Way Study Guide.